CLEVELAND — The plan was to limit Deron Williams to around 20 minutes.

The Nets point guard had played all of 10 minutes — yes, ten minutes — in all of the preseason. So getting him in for 21:44 in the season opener seemed reasonable.

Unfortunately, Williams’ 21:44 all came before the final 16:58 of the game, largely because of foul trouble to backup Shaun Livingston. So when Williams was needed most, he had one of the best seats in the house.

“I didn’t know how they were going to break up my minutes,” said Williams, who was sorely missed as the Nets came up short in their season-opening 98-94 loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday. “I was a little surprised when they said I wasn’t going back in. So I was just trying to cheer my team on and hope for a win.”

Cheering and wishing wasn’t enough. But Williams, who finished with seven points, nine assists and four turnovers, admitted to return late in the game would not have been wise after he sat for so long. After all, he only had just 10 preseason minutes of game activity — in the final exhibition — after rehabbing a sprained right ankle and bone bruise.

And his time came in doses.

“It was tough. It was tough to get in a rhythm when you’re limited like that. It seemed every time I did, I was coming out. So it’s tough. It’s tough to play like that. But that’s what I have to do for my team right now,” said Williams who indicated he has no idea when he will be ready to go like he is accustomed.

The Nets don’t want a repeat of Wednesday.

“We are keeping an eye on his minutes,” said coach Joe Prunty, who took over for the suspended Jason Kidd. “We we talked about pregame, that the game has a flow to it, and so we made our adjustments with the foul trouble that happened, and that’s something that every game is going to make you change what you’re doing, and you just have to be prepared for it.”

They were prepared. But the results were dismal.

“Obviously Deron is going to be key for us down the stretch,” Joe Johnson said. “So whenever we get his minutes up to where he can close out games, we¹re going to be a different team.”